New pictures today showed supermarket aisles already empty of cheese, meat and fresh vegetables as an expert warned food chains were 'starting to fail' due to staff shortages exacerbated by the 'pingdemic' - and one police force struggled to answer 999 calls.
Sainsbury's, Tesco, Lidl and Morrisons stores in Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh and Southampton were seen with significant gaps on the shelves in sections including frozen fish, pizzas, bottled water, ice creams and packaged salads.
The images will raise concerns that a lack of supermarket staff and delivery drivers are leading to delays in replenishing product lines, although it is likely that many of these products are in higher demand in the summer.
In the face of widespread anger over labour shortages as Covid cases continued to soar, the Prime Minister this week announced a plan for a 'small number' of critical workers to be able to continue their functions.
But British Meat Processors Association chief executive Nick Allen criticised 'confusing messages' from the Government as he said ministers have not clarified who is applicable.
'There's an air of despondency creeping through the industry really. Until now we've managed to keep the food supply chain running but there's a sense of we're starting to fail on that front,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Asked if production lines are stalling, he said: 'They are. It's happening already. We're starting to see that at retail level and in restaurants - everyone is struggling to get things out really.'
The Road Haulage Association estimates there is now a shortage of 100,000 lorry drivers in the UK, which they warn has been hampering deliveries of food from warehouses to supermarkets.
Thousands of prospective drivers are waiting for their HGV tests due to a backlog caused by lockdown, while many existing ones have left the UK after Brexit. The problem has been exacerbated by Covid, with drivers having to go into self-isolation.
Among the latest disruption today linked to the 'pingdemic' -
A Food and Drink Federation survey found three-quarters of its members reported a shortage of drivers; Vauxhall temporarily stopped night shifts at its Luton plant due to a number of staff having to self-isolate; The actor Kenneth Branagh's production of The Browning Version became the latest play to be called off; Head of NHS providers said ambulance and acute hospital trusts were now under 'extreme pressure'; More councils suspended green waste pick-ups, including West Berkshire and Bath, as others shut libraries; Neale Wade Academy in Cambridgeshire was among the schools to close early due to teachers being pinged; Coffee chain Pret temporarily closed several of its branches, including Moorgate and CityPoint in London; A lorry driver complained of 'pumps running dry' at BP petrol stations due to delays in fuel deliveries.
The frozen fish section at a Morrisons in Manchester today as supermarket shoppers complained of shortages of some products
An empty freezer section at a Sainsbury's Local in Bristol today amid complaints that a shortage of drivers was making it difficult to deliver food products
The meat section at a Tesco in Bristol today. Today the British Meat Processors Association complained that food supplies chains had been put under heavy strain
Gaps in the mineral water section at Lidl in Granton, Edinburgh. Similar scenes were seen in other stores across the country today
Today at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson apologised to businesses for the disruption they had experienced, but urged people to stick with the rules until they change because 'isolation is a vital tool of our defence'.
'I apologise to everybody in business up and down the land in all kinds of services, public sector or otherwise, who are experiencing inconvenience,' he said.
But Sir Keir Starmer hit back accused Mr Johnson of 'trying to dodge' his own quarantine after his contact with Covid-positive Health Secretary Sajid Javid and highlighted inconsistencies in policy.
'When it comes to creating confusion the Prime Minister is a superspreader,' the Labour leader said, as he accused Mr Johnson of ushering in a 'summer of chaos'.
Today a third of the Dorset Police control room staff were off work after being notified by the NHS Covid app or Test & Trace to self-isolate or following a positive test - at the same time as 999 calls surged 20% week on week.
Royal Mail has also seen an increase in absences due self-isolating staff, and this morning announced delays to deliveries in 10 parts of England.
Mr Johnson has promised to exempt some essential workers from quarantine, but today British Meat Processors Association chief executive Nick Allen said the industry is not clear who will be included in this scheme.
'It was made very clear to us late yesterday that this exemption will be for very, very few people. They described it as setting the bar very, very high and we're certainly not counting on that,' he said.
Pubs and shops have complained about having to close because of the number of people being 'pinged' as contacts by the NHS Covid-19 app, while medics have also raised concerns.
The latest figures show more than 500,000 people in England and Wales were asked to isolate by the NHS app in the week up to July 1.
Sliced cheese shelves empty at Morrisons at The Gyle, Edinburgh. In previous days BBQ items have also been in short supply - although that will be exacerbated by high demand due to the time of year
